Review: Bullyheart, “Antigravity”

“Holly Long possesses an innate magnetism. The talent level here is high, and the execution of this cleanly produced and performed album is impressive. Antigravity is a modern answer to the void left in female-fronted rock outfits.”

Artist: Bullyheart

Album: Antigravity

Genre: Rock

RIYL: The Pretenders, Pat Benatar, The Motels

There is great difficulty pinning this record down to classify it as one genre or another. Antigravity is the creative outlet for lead singer-songwriter Holly Long, who takes a departure from solo work to employ the incredibly talented David Boucher and Kevin Harp to round out a full and feral romp through the rock’n’roll landscape with Bullyheart’s debut release.

As noted in their own press materials, there is a definite wink and a nod to early 80’s female-fronted rock bands, but only in the best way possible. Think The Motels. Though Long is probably most accurately compared to Chrissie Hynde. And Boucher and Harp stand in as the rest of The Pretenders most ably. Like Hynde, Long’s vocals bear a strength, complexity and raw vulnerability that truly makes this an interesting listen.

The title track is also the first on the record, and it’s just a really great song. One of the best I’ve heard in awhile as a matter of fact. Those staccato guitars and a super clean sound that maximizes Long’s vocal range without losing the raw edges is quite a feat. I can only imagine how fantastic this song would be on the live stage, it’s full of dynamics and builds up to a fever pitch while it rocks your face off. So it’s slightly surprising then when “Thin Air” follows with a deeper, darker vibe that slows way down to marinate in the sultry tone of Long’s voice.

“No Pleasing You” moves into more of a storyteller mode, sort of a Sheryl Crow-meets-Pat Benatar moment, complete with a singalong hook and an offbeat melody. This one has legs, and it quickly became an earworm after listening to this record. Then there’s “Panic Attack,” a sneak attack song that could easily be mistaken for a lost Blondie tune, also in the best way possible. “There Goes My Man” is another standout, a fun and fast tune that once again shows off that fantastically dynamic vocal range. “Stay” closes the record in simple fashion, stripping away everything but guitar and Long’s plaintive and perfectly pitched voice.

Holly Long possesses an innate magnetism. The talent level here is high, and the execution of this cleanly produced and performed album is impressive. Antigravity is a modern answer to the void left in female-fronted rock outfits. It doesn’t fall into trendiness and most definitely doesn’t come off as anything other than genuine with a perfect balance of raw power and polish. Well, maybe more like glittery nail polish with just a few cracks and dents.